


The First Date

by DaringlyDomestic



Series: Tumblr Ficlets [12]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2016-04-08
Packaged: 2018-06-01 01:16:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6495121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaringlyDomestic/pseuds/DaringlyDomestic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After they finally get together, Sherlock decides that John deserves to be taken out on a proper date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The First Date

“Sherlock, where are we going?” John asks, as the man in question bundles him into his hunting jacket. 

“Not telling!” 

Sherlock is practically buzzing with excitement (and nerves, definitely some nerves). He made the call this morning when he woke up to John’s face inches from his own, slack and peaceful in sleep. He couldn’t contain his happiness. He needs John to know that he means everything, that he would give everything if John will only keep waking up next to him forever. (Flowery, sentimental nonsense, ugh! ….and yet, Sherlock can’t bring himself to really care).

“Come on, John!” Sherlock huffs impatiently as he bounds down the stairs. John chuckles as he follows, slipping on his gloves. Sherlock holds the front door open for John, hails a cab, and holds that door open while John slides in first. John looks at him with narrowed, suspicious eyes. “Why are you being so nice?”

Sherlock adopts his best wounded expression which makes John instantly regretful. He slides over to rest with his thigh flush against Sherlock’s and takes the man’s hand in his own. “I’m sorry.” John squeezes gently. “You’re being perfectly lovely - planning a surprise outing - and I’m ruining it.” John pecks Sherlock’s cheek contritely and smiles at the burgeoning pink blush that creeps over his face. John keeps Sherlock’s hand clasped firmly in his but settles back into the seat to enjoy the ride. 

“Stop! Right here,” Sherlock tells the cabbie. John looks up at the big brick building. It is beautiful and achingly familiar. John stares, transfixed, as Sherlock pays. The cab pulls away quickly and Sherlock comes to stand next to John. 

“Peter Harrison Planetarium?” John asks in amazement. “I thought you didn’t care about things like this?” Sherlock looks pensively at the building. “Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate it,” he mumbles.

He takes John’s arm and as they enter the planetarium, John notices that it is completely empty. “Um, Sherlock…you did check that it’s open today, yeah?” Sherlock rolls his eyes and chuckles.

“Of course, John. I called Jonathan this morning, he runs the planetarium. Asked him if we might have the place to ourselves for the day. He was only too happy to oblige – owes me a favor.” Sherlock winks and waggles his eyebrows. John laughs uproariously. He grips Sherlock’s shoulder for support and soon finds himself held tightly in a strong embrace. His face is mashed into Sherlock’s neck and Sherlock’s breath whispers across his ear, making him shiver. He draws back reluctantly.

“Come on then. Lead the way, genius,” John teases. Sherlock smiles, his genuine heart-wrenching smile, and leads John into the auditorium. John stands in the middle of the open room while Sherlock turns the machine on. 

His heart constricts painfully as he turns back toward John, who is now covered in millions of tiny pinpricks of light. It’s like John is made of the stars themselves. He’s beautiful. 

Sherlock leads him to the front of the room, where they lean against the wall and can see most of the sky without craning their necks too far. John sits between Sherlock’s legs with his back pressed to Sherlock’s chest. Sherlock’s arms are wrapped loosely around John’s middle and his chin rests on John’s shoulder. 

They are silent for a long time, just watching the sky shift and change. “Sometimes, it’s not the facts that can be learned from a thing that are important. No. Sometimes, the value of a thing is in the way it makes you feel,” Sherlock whispers. “You taught me that.” 

John leans back to rest more fully against Sherlock, communicating his appreciation without needing words. Sherlock softly starts pointing out constellations. John is impressed with his expansive knowledge, but he still wonders when Sherlock considered the stars important enough to memorize. 

He doesn’t voice his question, but Sherlock knows anyway. He gives a deep sigh before he answers. He doesn’t keep anything from John. Not anymore. 

“That star, right there, that’s Sirius, the brightest star visible anywhere on Earth. It’s been known since ancient times. The Egyptians associated the star with Osiris, the god of life, death, fertility, and rebirth of plant life along the Nile. Every year, Sirius rose just before the sun immediately prior to the annual flooding of the Nile. The flood destroyed all plant life along the river, but it also refreshed the soil and brought new life.” Sherlock pauses to draw in a deep breath.

“I thought about that a lot while….while I was…away.” The subject of his time away is still sensitive, but Sherlock wants to be fully truthful. He is trying. His arms involuntarily tighten around John. “It reminded me of you - the bringer of death, the restorer of life,” he says with a wry grin. “It seemed fitting. All those lonely nights, I looked up and there you were. No matter where I went, I could always see you.”

He drops a kiss into John’s hair. “You saved my life the night I met you, and you have been saving it everyday since, even when you didn’t know you were doing so.” 

John turns his head to press his lips to Sherlock’s. He twists his fingers into Sherlock’s perfectly tousled curls. Sherlock can feel the convulsions of John’s body and tastes the salt on his lips. John is sobbing. Sherlock breaks the kiss to take in John’s face.

“Not good?” he asks in a small voice. John’s eyes lock onto his and he can see the array of emotions fighting behind the tears - sadness, fear, happiness…

John brings his other arm up to cup Sherlock’s cheek. He leans in so that his lips are mere centimeters from Sherlock’s. “I love you,” he says - a whisper-turned-kiss.  

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. The Peter Harrison Planetarium is the only remaining planetarium in London. The London Planetarium was shut down in 2006 and is now part of Madame Tussauds - they have a Marvel Superheroes 4D attraction there!
> 
> 2\. Sirius is also know as the dog star...cause Sherlock loves dogs okay??
> 
> Feel free to comment if you liked it (or not).


End file.
